


a supernova grew up to be stardust

by sonlali



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Heart-to-Heart, lots of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21610867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonlali/pseuds/sonlali
Summary: Based on the prompt “I can take care of myself just fine.”Stevie and Twyla have a heart-to-heart outside the café.
Relationships: Stevie Budd/Twyla Sands
Comments: 22
Kudos: 33





	a supernova grew up to be stardust

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nervouscupcakeinspace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nervouscupcakeinspace/gifts).



> [cupcake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nervouscupcakeinspace): surprise! it's another one of your prompts! i hope you enjoy! <3
> 
> title is from "Cassiopeia" by Sara Bareilles

The dinner rush has just ended and Twyla is humming to herself, relieved to finally have a minute alone, even if it’s only to take a bag of garbage out to the alley behind the café. She tosses the bag in the dumpster and tilts her head up to the late evening sky. It’s a beautiful, clear night and she’s quickly able to make out the Andromeda constellation in the sky. 

She’s distracted by the sounds of someone crying softly on the other side of the dumpster. Or maybe it’s a baby opossum. She had seen a family of opossums in the alley last weekend. She moves in the direction of the sound cautiously, vividly recalling the time Uncle Albert was on the losing end of a fight with an opossum, and spots the crouched figure of—

“Stevie?” Twyla asks, and the crying figure’s head jerks up and stares at Twyla with wide eyes. 

“No!” Possibly-Stevie exclaims sharply. 

“Ooh, are you a spirit impersonating the physical form of Stevie? Because something like that happened to my cousin Marcus once.”

Possibly-Stevie or Possibly-Spirit gawks at Twyla like they can’t quite tell if she’s being serious or not. Twyla isn’t so sure herself honestly. She’s so accustomed to repeating the outlandish stories she’s heard from her family that she rarely stops to consider which ones she believes and which she’s just repeating out of habit anymore. Twyla just looks down thoughtfully and waits for a response. 

“I’m actually Stevie, Twyla. I promise.” Almost-Certainly-Stevie rolls her eyes and wipes at her nose with the sleeve of her flannel. 

Twyla fishes a tissue out of her apron pocket and hands it to Stevie (she’s positive this is the real Stevie now; she can see it in her eyes), who accepts it wordlessly. Stevie blows her nose loudly and rubs harshly at her eyes. 

“Would you like me to bring you some cocoa?” Twyla asks. “Or something to eat?”

“I can take care of myself just fine, thanks,” Stevie responds sharply. “I don’t need you to come out here and take care of me or whatever it is you’re doing.”

“I know.” Twyla’s known Stevie since childhood. She’s never once doubted that Stevie could take care of herself. Stevie’s one of the strongest people she’s ever met. 

Stevie glances up at her with a hint of curiosity in her gaze. She clears her throat and fumbles with the sleeve of her shirt uncomfortably. 

“Sorry,” she mumbles.

Twyla cocks her head to the side. “For what?”

“For snapping at you. You didn’t deserve that. You were just trying to be nice, and I… I shouldn’t have been so harsh.”

Twyla blinks several times. She’s not quite sure how to respond. It’s not often that someone apologizes to her. Customers at the café being short with her is not at all an uncommon experience, and her family isn’t really known for their considerate dispositions. Twyla learned early on to just roll with the punches and not take anything to heart. She looks at Stevie, who is very determinedly not meeting her eye. Stevie generally avoids sincerity at all costs, but her apology felt completely genuine. Twyla smiles.

“Thank you, Stevie. Apology accepted.” Twyla reaches out a hand to help Stevie to her feet. Once standing, Stevie looks even more uncomfortable. She shuffles her feet and fiddles with the hem of her shirt. Twyla feels a burst of fondness warming her heart. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No!” Stevie’s response is immediate and firm, and Twyla knows better than to push.

“Okay, well, I need to get back—” 

“I don’t think I can do it!” Stevie blurts out and promptly covers her mouth as if she hopes to stem the flow of any additional words. 

Twyla nods but doesn’t say anything. People often use her as a sounding board at the café, and she can usually tell if someone wants her feedback or just needs to vent. She gets the impression Stevie just needs to get something off her chest without interruption.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Twyla. It’s all too much—the motel, _Cabaret_ —I don’t do stuff like this! I’m just the person who sits behind the desk and keeps to herself. And now I’m running a motel and the lead in a fucking musical! I didn’t ask for any of this, and I’ve got Mr. and Mrs. Rose and David and Patrick and Alexis and fucking _Roland_ all counting on me for things. I never wanted to… I never…”

Stevie cuts off with a hiccupping sob that she quickly tries to suppress. She turns away from Twyla and wipes at her eyes angrily. Twyla wants to comfort her somehow, but she knows that Stevie often shies away from physical affection. She gives her space and hopes that Stevie will trust her enough to keep sharing. Twyla starts to hum again, hoping that it serves to distract or soothe Stevie, and she waits. She can be very patient, and she’s happy to wait for Stevie.

“I never wanted to become so involved.” Stevie’s voice is rough from tears when she finally speaks again. “I’ve lived in this town my whole life, but I’ve never really been a part of things, you know? And that’s the way I liked it. But now I’ve somehow gotten so wrapped up in everything, and I’ve been _enjoying_ it?” 

“And that’s bad?” Twyla asks.

“Well, yeah!” Stevie throws her hands in the air. “Because what happens when they all move on with their lives? What happens when everyone moves forward, and I’m still sitting behind a motel desk? Is that going to be my life? Reluctant motel owner who dabbles in community theatre?”

“You said you’ve been enjoying it, right?” Twyla prompts.

“Yeah, but—”

“But you’re afraid the Roses are all going to leave, and then you’ll get stuck in a rut and no longer enjoy it all. Is that right?”

Stevie shakes her head, shrugs, and then nods all in rapid succession. 

“Hm,” Twyla muses. 

“Hmmm? Hmm what?” Stevie looks both defiant and scared. She appears really to challenge Twyla, almost as if she expects Twyla to mock her concerns. Twyla looks into her eyes and sees all the things Stevie tries so hard to hide from the world—her fears, her anxieties, her uncertainties. 

“You aren’t as alone as you think you are, Stevie. The Roses aren’t going to leave you. Even if they all move away, they aren’t _leaving_ you. They’ll still be with you, even if they—or if you—are no longer in Schitt’s Creek. And the town… you _are_ a part of this town and you always have been. No one here would let you struggle if Mr. Rose left the motel or if you decided you no longer wanted to work there at all. You won’t be alone no matter which direction your life goes. And if you’re enjoying it right now, why not focus on that? Enjoy the _right now_ , Stevie.”

Stevie looks at Twyla like she’s seeing her for the first time. Twyla is pleased to see that the defensiveness has melted out of her posture. She’s allowing Twyla to see her, and Twyla is looking right back. Exactly as she always knew, Stevie is just fine. 

“I have to get back inside.” Twyla gestures to the café. 

“Right, of course. Thanks, Twyla.” Stevie hesitates, and Twyla senses that there’s something else she wants to say. “Do you… would you like to have dinner some time? With me, I mean. Like, together.”

Twyla’s eyes widen and her stomach flips, her heart filling with so much joy that it bubbles out in a laugh. 

“I’d like that very much.” Twyla nods enthusiastically.

“Great, then it’s a date. And Twy? Is the offer for cocoa still on the table?” Stevie grins and Twyla beams. Twyla gives a final look to the sky and leads the way inside the café. It really is a beautiful night.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on tumblr [@landofsonlali](https://landofsonlali.tumblr.com/)!


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